The charges brought against Israeli Prime Minister

Jerusalem. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is to stand trial on corruption charges, the country’s attorney general said Thursday. The charges include:

Champagne, Cigars

Attorney General Avichai Mandelblit said he was indicting Netanyahu for fraud and breach of trust in what are known as cases 1,000 and 2,000 and for bribery, fraud and breach of trust in case 4,000.

Case 1,000 involves allegations Netanyahu and his family received gifts including luxury cigars, champagne and jewellery from wealthy individuals, estimated to be worth more than 700,000 shekels ($200,000), in exchange for financial or personal favours.

Newspaper ‘secret deal’

A second investigation, known as Case 2000, concerns allegations Netanyahu sought a deal with the owner of the Yediot Aharonot newspaper that would have seen it give him more favourable coverage.

In exchange, Netanyahu allegedly raised the possibility of pushing for legislation to limit the circulation of Israel Hayom, a free newspaper that is the main rival to Yediot.

‘The big one’

The third investigation, known as Case 4,000, is considered the most serious and also relates to alleged attempts to seek positive media coverage through favours.

Netanyahu is alleged to have negotiated with Shaul Elovitch, the controlling shareholder of Israeli telecommunications giant Bezeq, to get positive coverage on his Walla! news site in exchange for policies benefiting Bezeq. Shlomo Filber, a Netanyahu ally for more than 20 years and a former communications ministry director general, has become a state witness. (AFP)